Atkins problems

[brandyelf]

I seriously can't lose weight. That's why I had bloodwork done in the first place. I started the Atkins' diet over two months ago, and in the first two weeks lost absolutely nothing. Zero. Couldn't get into ketosis and stay there. Finally lost a few pounds, but have been bouncing up and down the same two ever since. I've lost a total of 5 pounds, which I tried to explain to my GP was just not normal for me (I need to lose about another 90), but since he's a dork, he seriously said "Yay! You lost weight! That's wonderful!" (way to listen there, doc) Then, he wrote me a script for a med that has a side effect of weight gain.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if this has happened to anyone else, and if it has, if that has improved once you got your numbers under control.

:turtle:

[rzrbks]

Actually, every CDE and Dr. I've worked with, who knew what they were talking about, said the same thing:

The tighter control you have on your B/G the more likely you are to gain weight.

I have pretty tight control, A1c never above 5.7 and, yes I fight like crazy to keep weight down. But then I allow myself to eat pretty much whatever I want too:hypocrite

[Cyborg]

Low carb diets are just that, diets... Some people can actually adapt it as a lifestyle, but I find it too difficult. I have found it possible to lose weight watching calories rather than carbs and I am insulin dependent. Exercise and watching calories does wonders.

There is also a new drug called Symlin that many have reported good results with regards to weight loss. I just started this drug 2 days ago and have not had any ill effects, but have seen significant reductions in insulin requirements when it is taken. Insulin is known as the "fat drug", while Symlin is already gaining a reputation as the opposite. It can be used by both type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

BTW, I started the pump about 2 months ago and I've lost 25 pounds so far. My last a1c was 2 days ago at 6.2.

[Ronin]

Brandyelf, et al.,

You mention the Atkins diet, but you don't mention exercise. Weight gain/loss is all about the body's account management -- calories in versus calories expended.

You need to find a way to increse your expenditure of calories whithout increasing the deposit of calories into your system. Of course, it will not be easy. If you have a sedentary job (and most people do these days), coupled with long office hours, a long commute, finding caloric expenditure opportunities will be difficult, but not impossible.

As Cyborg noted (and mentioned to me in a different thread) a diet is not a life change. You have been given membership in the diabetic club, you probably didn't want it, but now you're here. That translates into major changes in your life patterns. One of those changes is going to have to be increasing activity on a daily basis.

[brandyelf]

You mention the Atkins diet, but you don't mention exercise.

Oh yeah, I'm working on that as well, but the diet thing in particular is odd to me because "before" I'd always lose 10-15 pounds in the first few weeks of Atkins', always, regardless of exercise level. To lose absolutely nothing was weird, and more than a little scary. I was just wondering if that was going to improve any. Doesn't sound like it will, which is more depressing than just about anything I've read so far. :frown:

[Mister Q]

Best piece of weight loss advice I was ever given was "it boils down to 2 things, exercise more, eat less"

I have always steered away from atkins, as I personally dont believe its good for you. I exercise as regularly as possible and base all my meals on at least 1/3 complex carbs. Reading the forums there seems to be quite a differencer to the advice given by health professionals to diabetics in different parts of the world.

As a type 2 the worse my control the more I want to eat, and therefore gain weight, my A1C at diagnosis was 18.5 and my weight was about 125kgs, thats about 19 1/2 stone in UK money or around 275lbs for the US market.

I lost around 13kg (2 Stones, 28lbs) in the first 12 months since DX, but have climbed back up a lil since mainly due to building muscle with exercise, all my clothes I had to buy cause the pre DX ones were falling off my still fit :smile:

[Belinda]

join weight watchers...you can join for 15.00 get the information and never go back....I have lost 16.8 pounds so far...happy when I get the 25 off...where are those reese pieces candies I get to eat......


I also exersice....at least 5 times per week if not seven

[brandyelf]

WW has never worked well for me. I can't handle all those carbs. Maybe it's changed, I don't know... the last time I did WW was about 2 years ago. I did ok, but felt like cr*p most of the time.

(Hey, sort of like I do now, in fact)

I think I'm just doomed to be fact, cranky, and tired. I'm getting used to it!

[Cyborg]

Ultimately, you control what you put in your mouth. It pretty much boils down to shear will power. You are not doomed to be anything. There is no fate you cannot change.

[brandyelf]

Yeah, sorry about that... my daughter's in the middle of a pretty bad asthma flare, so neither of us are sleeping much, and I guess I just let it all get to me. I'm trying not to feel sorry for myself, but it's hard not to. I'm working on it.